Connec ions
for evangelical Lutheran Christians March/April 2008
God’s Meeting Place BRAD SOENKSEN
Joy in the Midst of War CHRIS MAGNELL
Deepening Your Devotional Life
JOHAN HINDERLIE
Silent Retreats
SHARON KNUDSON
Improving your Serve DAVID DRUM
Journey together with your congregation through God’s Word.
What is a Walk Thru the Bible seminar? • A program of easy hand signs that helps you recall the key events and people of the Old or New Testament. • Fast-paced, creative, intergenerational learning for ages 10-100. • A five-hour course led by a qualified teacher of the Lutheran Christian emphasis on the Bible. How would it benefit my congregation? • Give parents and children a simple way to remember the Bible. • Rekindle your congregation’s desire to read the Bible and pray daily. • Evangelize by introducing people to God’s Word.
www.MountCarmelMinistries.com
1-800-793-4311
F e a t u r e s 3
Theology in Practice
Joy in the Midst of War by Chris Magnell
6
A Cloud
itnesses ofW Witnesses
2…meeting a ministry Sharon Knudson 12…be still my soul
A Fresh Look
14…lutheran renewal Morris Vaagenes
Luther’s commentary from The Book of Concord by Martin Luther
16…missions LVM—Lutheran Vietnamese Ministries Mark Vander Tuig
God’s Meeting Place
20…improving your serve David Drum
8 by Brad Soenksen
GOD Encounters
As A Deer
Donnie’s personal encounter with God
19
C o l u m n s
The 1st Commandment by Virgil Thompson
10
Letter from Kent
Exercising the Faith
Deepening Your Devotional Life by Johan Hinderlie
21…book review Randy Upgren 22…LCMC update Bill Sullivan 23…WordAlone update Mark Chavez 24…at home with linda Linda Lein
To our readers…
Welcome to our very first issue of Connections! If you’re looking for in-depth Bible studies or innovative ideas for ministry, we’ve got ‘em. If you want stories of how God meets the special needs of everyday people, you’ll find those here, also. If mission outreach is dear to your heart, or you have a burning concern to see renewal in hearts and lives, read on! While our feature articles and regular columns contain a wide variety of reading fare, one thing remains constant: our desire to honor and glorify our Lord. We think Connections provides a unique way of doing that, since our articles come from a wide cross-section of Lutherans—from theologians and pastors to everyday people in various walks of life. While we request some of our articles, we also encourage our readers to send in submissions. Our policy of reader-involvement is what makes Connections your magazine. We’d love to hear from you—Let’s connect!
Joy
ELCA, LCMS, LCMC, AALC, LB, & AFLC are all designations for Lutherans. These distinctions are becoming less helpful, however, as significant differences in basic theology have polarized many Lutherans. As a result, Lutherans are crossing denominational lines and rediscovering brothers and sisters of like convictions and passions. A reunion of sorts is happening among those who are evangelical, conservative, Christ-centered, with an ironclad belief in the reliability of the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions, and have a passion for missions. They believe in the power of the law & Gospel with the Holy Spirit to bring lost individuals to a justifying faith in Christ. The goal of this magazine is to encourage & promote this wonderful reunion and to help evangelical Lutherans make connections with one another so that together we may better serve God’s kingdom. Our writers will be from all Lutheran denominations and traditions, but will be united in their trust that a renewal of the authority of the Bible and our Lutheran confessions are the best way to find spiritual and theological renewal among our congregations.
Connections
for evangelical Lutheran Christians Editor: Kent Groethe Associate Editor: Joy Minion Art Director: Candy Rice © 2008 by Bible Alive Ministries ISSN 1941-5249 PO Box 372 Fergus Falls, MN 56538 218.998.3088
www.bible-aliveministries.com Annual Subscription: $20 for 8 Issues (6 regular bimonthly issues + special Christmas and Easter editions) 1
meeting a ministry Doorway to Discovery
Silent Retreats Offer Insight
by Sharon Knudson
Each time Pastor Bruce Kotila attended a silent retreat, he was struck by how specifically and clearly God spoke. A graduate of Bethel Seminary and involved in three church plants, Kotila attended Jesuit Silent Retreats for almost 20 years. As director of the Lutheran Evangelistic Movement (LEM), he now offers a similar experience from a conservative evangelical perspective.
end with the opportunity to receive individual prayer at the altar. “Once a person enters the weekend routine, time flies,” Kotila promises. “Any apprehension about spending an extended period of time in study and contemplation will quickly disappear.” Each retreat strongly emphasizes the importance of listening to the Holy Spirit for guidance. Session attendance is not mandatory, but the vast majority attends most, if not all, of the sessions, journaling on what God reveals through His Word. The main idea is to help participants discover the will of God for their future, and to give them the courage and energy to follow that will. We emphasize becoming intentional about keeping the retreat experience alive once they re-enter their work-a-day world. We encourage people to make plans to dedicate time each day and at least one weekend a year for knowing the Lord better and living for Him more fully.
Silent retreats are a brand new concept for most people. “What do you do there?” they ask. “Do you mean we really can’t talk for three days?” We always respond with a description of what we do. Silent Retreats begin with a get-acquainted dinner on Thursday evening, followed by a worship service featuring hymns and songs of praise. After an orientation session, the group goes into silence until lunch on Sunday. Participants maintain silence for the duration of the weekend except during worship services, or when asking questions or requesting individual prayer. Each person enjoys a private room, home-cooked meals and breaks with snack items. The retreat has 10-12 teaching sessions, each about 20 minutes in length, loosely patterned after the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius. We typically use four or five key themes, such as experiencing the love of God, a life of total surrender, walking in humility, the call of Christ the King, and fulfilling the Great Commission. For the remainder of the sessions, we pray and ask God to direct us to topics most useful to the participants. In the past we’ve looked at repentance, pride, how to be filled with the Spirit, the need to walk in forgiveness, using the Lord’s Prayer as a model for our prayer life, and various spiritual warfare themes. Retreatants receive a summary handout to tape into their journal and use as a worksheet during the hour-long quiet period following each session. Each morning begins with a 20-minute talk on one of the spiritual disciplines such as meditation, prayer, journaling, or dealing with distractions. Friday and Saturday evenings 2
Silent Retreat weekends are held at the Dunrovin Retreat Center nine miles north of Stillwater, MN. Past participants include Lutherans, Charismatics, Baptist General Conference, Evangelical Free, Assemblies of God, Methodists, Roman Catholics and Independent Pentecostals, among others. Visit our website for further information, photos, to register on-line or to print a registration form.
Sharon M. Knudson is a freelance writer and speaker. She is on staff with LEM and coleads Silent Retreats for women.
Do you know of a vibrant ministry using innovative resources for congregations? Submit your story to: Connections, PO Box 372, Fergus Falls, MN 56538 or email to: submissions@bible-aliveministries.com
Theology in Practice Joy in the Midst of War by Chris Magnell Chris Magnell serves
as
Pastor
of
Zion Lutheran in Des Moines, IA. He & wife Mary Ann have 2 sons & a daughter on the way.
Pastor
Magnell
is also a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Our lives collide with our theology every day. Our actions and reactions reflect what we believe; this is especially true when facing emergency or life-threatening situations. As an Army Chaplain deployed to Iraq, this truth came to life for me as I responded to the demands of ministry in a combat zone. I remember one day when rockets hit one of our barracks— the casualties were pouring into our aid station at FOB Rustamiyah on the east side of Baghdad. I’m not sure if there were enough injuries to constitute a mass casualty designation, but the doctors and nurses were doing their best to help each wounded Soldier. Most of them were coming in with minor shrapnel injuries, but there was one critically wounded Soldier. As the doctors performed CPR on him, I knew his chances of making it were slim. In fact, in that setting, CPR was more of a labor of love done by dedicated Soldiers than a life-saving measure. Moments later, I happened upon this dying Soldier’s roommate. His leg was blasted with shrapnel, but compared to his battle-buddy, he had made out well. I began to counsel and encourage him, but his mind was singularly focused on his friend. With anguish he asked about the condition of the young Soldier dying in the other room. I knew that the right answer at that moment was NOT to tell him the truth. Yet, the
desire to be honest and loving raged within me. I didn’t want to tell him his friend was dying. I’m not a doctor and am not qualified to make that diagnosis. However, I felt a stumbling block about uttering the inevitable white lie regarding the dying Soldier’s condition. I don’t remember what I said, but it was something along the lines of a reassurance that the doctors were taking good care of his buddy (true), that he didn’t need to worry (not entirely true), and that I wasn’t exactly sure of the medical status of his friend (not true…I knew they were doing CPR and he probably had less than a 1% chance of surviving).
It was times like these that I realized no amount of training— either from the seminary or from the Army—could truly prepare me for the ministry of being an Army Chaplain in a combat zone. It was surrender to the Holy Spirit, and trust in His ministry, not mine, that was crucial to my service. I would like to pretend I always trusted in the Holy Spirit and walked in the ways of the Lord but, alas, I’m a work in progress. When I did surrender and allow the Holy Spirit to take over, amazing things happened. He showed me how to provide comfort to fellow officers when one of our own company commanders was killed on his last full day at Rustamiyah (before heading home). He allowed me to remain sane while praying over four badly destroyed bodies—one of them a senior officer with three daughters at home. He gave me the Gospel to speak to a Muslim who came to visit our chapel service, took communion, and told me he felt clean and at peace (his own words…not from my prompting). He gave me a sense of humor while listening as Mary, an Iraqi convert 3
theology in practice to Christianity, shared the good news of Jesus Christ with a Romanian man who spoke even less English than she did. Mary was a blessing. She grew up in a radical Shia Muslim family in southern Iraq. Nine years ago—long before the war began—she was literally visited by Jesus, gave her life to Him, and began to follow Him as a disciple. In our hardhearted western world some people would dismiss such things as visions or visits from Jesus, but I saw the fruit of His work in her life. Mary faced death threats, not only from her family but also from her community, and yet she remained dedicated to sharing the Gospel to all. Mary put her theology into practice.
To be honest, I didn’t fear death much—not because I’m brave (I’m not)—but because God is God and He’s promised eternal life. I trust Him. I also found that the Holy Spirit ministered to my own fears. The two greatest sources of stress were the separation from my family and the fear of what my death might do to them. The thought of what would follow my death caused me anxiety. The vision of officers in their green class-A uniforms coming to our home and reading a prepared statement announcing my death to my wife, seeing her break down as her world and our dreams caved in—this was a little much to bear. But God brought me through the stress and fear, and promised that even as He has promised eternal life, He would also provide comfort and hope to my family. He also reminded me that my family needed Him far more than they needed me. God comforted me through the pain of separation as well. It was a tangible, physical ache, being away from my loved ones and missing 14 months of their lives. My youngest son was graduating from preschool when I left and starting first grade when I returned. But God is good and He cared for all of us through the time of separation. My time in Baghdad was multi-faceted and never static. Whether flying in Blackhawk helicopters, doing combat patrols in an M1 Abrams tank, riding in a Humvee or weathering rocket and mortar attacks, my whole year was 4
. . . continued
focused on the truth that God ultimately is sovereign and I am totally dependent upon Him for all that I am. He didn’t promise me I’d return alive and He never said it would be fun, but He did bring me home safely. I can even say that parts of the deployment were fun and many godly friendships remain.
Our theology comes into practice when we are tested. As James says: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4, ESV We must remember that we bring nothing to the table. God didn’t call me to Iraq because of any special qualities I have. Instead, He brought steadfastness and maturity through the trials, as His Holy Spirit ministered to me and through me.
Pastor Magnell deployed to Iraq from August 2006 to August 2007 with the 118th Chaplain Detachment. He was attached to to the 3-67 Armored Battalion, and later to the 1st Cavalry Division Headquarters, both located in Baghdad.
Below: Captain Magnell after getting out of this tank just after a combat patrol.
Are you seeking a mission organization in which you can have confidence?
You are not alone. A number of churches and individuals are seeking the same thing. Many of you want to know that your financial support will go to a mission that upholds the Word of God, lifts up Jesus as Lord and Savior, seeks the salvation of souls, builds believers to maturity in their faith, does effective ministry and has financial integrity. I’m Dr. Morris Vaagenes, president of Renewal International. Lack of confidence in their denomination is causing many to seek other alternatives. If this is your concern, I want to introduce you to Renewal International, Inc. Many involved in Renewal International are former missionaries to Madagascar, and they carry in their hearts a burden and love for the Malagasy people. The needs there are acute. It is one of the poorest countries in the world, and the area where we once served and are now involved is the poorest of the poor. In each of my mission trips to South Madagascar, the churches have pleaded for help. In answer to their dire request we raised significant support for the TB program of the health ministry of the Malagasy Lutheran Church, and thus saved hundreds from death and brought many to Christ. In response to the need for a Bible School in the synod where my entire family once served, we raised $100,000 for the building program and yearly support. Since then, scores of evangelists have been trained and are serving in hundreds of villages, including a former witchdoctor who was visited by an angel, died and was taken to heaven where he met Jesus, and was sent back to earth to proclaim freedom through Christ for those in bondage to paganism. In addition, we are raising funds for the printing of the New Testament into the Tandroy language for the tribe’s 1.5 million people. Steven Lellelid, who serves as a missionary under Renewal International, is translating the Bible along with a local team. Having spent most of his life in Madagascar—first as the son of missionaries and later as a missionary himself—Steven is highly effective in reaching the people with the Gospel in a way they can understand. Renewal International works closely with The Hot Spot, a coffee shop and ministry center located in Dinkytown adjacent to the Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota. People from this diverse neighborhood, including many students from a nearby 12-step charter high school, are dropping in and are being introduced to Jesus in a warm relationship atmosphere. The Hot Spot is a place where teenage addicts, the homeless, those from broken and dysfunctional homes, and those seeking something to fill their inner emptiness are experiencing transformation through the Spirit’s touch. Alpha courses are offered. This is the unfolding of a vision given to John Tolo, director of The Hot Spot.
Ask the Lord if He has called you to support these ministries in prayer and with your contributions. All gifts are tax-deductible. Identify where you wish your gift to go. Make checks payable to Renewal International and send to: Renewal International, 3540 Harriet Avenue, Shoreview, MN 55126.
A
Cloud
of
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and
The First Commandment A Fresh Look at Luther’s Catechism by Virgil Thompson
In his explanation of the First Commandment, Luther in the Large Catechism cuts right to the heart of it: “Anything on which your heart relies and depends, I say, that is really your God . . . it is the trust and faith of the heart alone that make both God and an idol.”
The Catechism is reality religion. According to the Commandment, the question is not whether there is a God or not. The question is whether we put our faith in the good God of our creation who has promised in our baptism to be God for us, or whether we trust idols— someone or something that appears to promise life but fails to deliver. The temptation of our times may be to deny God any existence, especially when God has become a problem. And there is no denying that for many today, God has become a problem. Some seek to escape from the demanding God of childhood. For others, belief in God went out the laboratory window of earth science. For some, faith in God was lost in some grand disappointment from which their prayers failed to save them. No one can fail to note that the world has suffered a good deal of bloodshed over the question of God. All things given, it may be understandable should someone imagine that the world would be better off without gods. But if the Catechism is correct, it is not as easy to escape the reality of God as one might want to imagine. What is gained if we escape the demanding God of childhood merely to end up driven to perpetual fatigue by the relentless demands of financial security, social acceptance, professional success, and the happy family, which seem forever dangling out there just out of reach? 6
Of course, we don’t normally think of financial security or professional success or the happy family as false gods. In and of themselves they are good. The Catechism agrees. They are not the problem. The problem is the human heart: “Anything on which your heart relies and depends, I say, that is really your God . . . it is the trust and faith of the heart alone that make both God and an idol.” In this Commandment, God seeks to save us from a deceitful heart, from putting our faith in what promises the good life but which ultimately fails to deliver. Hear again the way God speaks His promise to you in the Commandment: “I am the Lord your God. I myself will give you what you need and help you out of every danger. Whatever good you lack, look to me for it and seek it from me, and whenever you suffer misfortune and distress, crawl to me and cling to me. I will not disappoint you. Only do not let your heart cling to or rest in anyone else. I have decided. Look no further. I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods. I give you my word, and my life, on it.”
Virgil Thompson teaches religious studies at Gonzaga University. A prolific author and former pastor, he currently serves as managing editor of The Lutheran Quarterly.
W i t n e s s e s the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1
The First Commandment Luther’s Commentary from The Book of Concord by Martin Luther
“You shall have no other gods before me. That is, you are to regard me alone as your God. What does this mean, and how is it to be understood? A “god” is the term for that to which we are to look for all good and in which we are to find refuge in all need. Therefore, to have a god is nothing else than to trust and believe in that one with your whole heart. As I have often said, it is the trust and faith of the heart alone that make both God and an idol. If your faith and trust are right, then your God is the true one. Conversely, where your trust is false and wrong, there you do not have the true God. for these two belong together, faith and God. Anything on which your heart relies and depends, I say, that is really your God.
So, too, those who boast of great learning, wisdom, power, prestige, family, and honor and who trust in them have a god also, but not the one, true God. Notice again, how presumptuous, secure, and proud people are when they have such possessions, and how despondent they are when they lack them or when they are taken away. Therefore. . .to have a god is to have something in which the heart trusts completely. This commandment requires, namely, that one’s whole heart and confidence be placed in God alone, and in no one else. To have a God, as you can well imagine, does not mean to grasp him with your fingers, or to put him into a purse, or to shut him up in a box. Rather, you lay hold of God when your heart grasps him and clings to him. To cling to him with your heart is nothing else than to entrust yourself to him completely. He wishes to turn us away from everything else apart from him, and to draw us to himself, because he is the one, eternal good.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
The intention of this commandment, therefore, is to require true faith and confidence of the heart, which fly straight to the one true God and cling to him alone. . . . In other words, “Whatever good thing you lack, look to me for it and seek it from me, and whenever you suffer misfortune and distress, crawl to me and cling to me. I, I myself, will give you what you need and help you out of every danger. Only do not let your heart cling to or rest in anyone else.”
Exodus 20:8
There are some who think that they have God and everything they need when they have money and property; they trust in them and boast in them so stubbornly and securely that they care for no one else. They, too, have a god—mammon by name, that is, money and property—on which they set their whole heart. This is the most common idol on earth. . . .This desire for wealth clings and sticks to our nature all the way to the grave.
Search and examine your own heart thoroughly, and you will discover whether or not it clings to God alone. If you have the sort of heart that expects from him nothing but good, especially in distress and need, and renounces and forsakes all that is not God, then you have the one, true God. On the contrary, if your heart clings to something else and expects to receive from it more good and help than from God and does not run to God but flees from him when things go wrong, then you have another god, an idol. Luther, Martin. The Book of Concord. Eds. Robert Kolb and Timothy Wengert. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2000. 386-388. 7
B ible S tudy by Professor Brad Soenksen
God’s Meeting Place Brad Soenksen by
My favorite childhood memories come from those hot humid Iowa summers. On any given summer day I could have been found hoeing potatoes or picking beans, mowing lawns or doing yard work. But more often than not, I would be found playing, watching, or listening to baseball. Thanks to my mother, an avowed baseball junkie, our home was filled with the sounds of the major league ballpark. In my mind, I can still see her making jam or canning vegetables with the Cubs game on the living room television (volume up) and the White Sox on the radio in the kitchen. She always knew the score and inning of both games and could give me an update of each that would rival ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight.” Summers also brought another type of memory. Never planned or prescribed, it was a happening that had a life of its own—the severe thunderstorm. Occasionally those hot humid days would brew the atmosphere into a churning mass of dark angry clouds, and then the storm would hit. As we would look out the window at the wind velocity reaching its peak and the trees beginning to shed their leaves and branches, we would scramble to the sanctuary of our cellar. There below ground, we would sit in the corner of our small basement feeling safer from the thrashing going on outside. I remember always taking my Bible with me. I suppose in my simple childhood faith I wanted God to be with me in the basement. Somehow, I knew the cellar wasn’t enough, even there I didn’t want to be alone. I needed God to be with me.
The great message of the Bible is that God has come to us and is with us. We see this in the Garden of Genesis 3 as God came to the first sinners, searching, engaging, promising, and healing the hole that sin had left in their souls. In the following pages, we see God walking with the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He continued His presence with the twelve tribes who came from these patriarchs, that nation tied to God’s promised blessing upon all people through a coming descendant of Abraham named Jesus (Genesis 12:3). 8
Both the original tabernacle and its later descendant the temple were designed by God to emphasize His presence with this people. We see in the temple, planned for by David and constructed by his son Solomon, God’s intent to deal with the sin of sinners by means of sacrifices. In the context of God’s promise to Abraham, these sacrifices pointed beyond themselves to God’s plan for resolving the sin issue finally in Jesus, “the lamb of God.” Seven years after construction began, Solomon dedicated the temple and God came down visibly in the form of a thick cloud filling the building and taking up residence among His people. With God’s glory pouring into the temple, Solomon stood beside the altar and publicly asked God to hear people when they prayed to Him at this temple, “to hear and forgive” (I Kings 8:30).
The temple was designed to be a place where God would meet people and heal them spiritually. Unfortunately, as time went on the worship at the temple grew cold. The people worshipped other gods, even bringing their idols into this house of God. They still prayed to God, but they heartlessly called out to Him as one of the many gods they worshipped. One after another, God sent prophets to confront them, but they would not listen. Because of this, in 586 B.C. God allowed the empire of Babylon to destroy Jerusalem, Solomon’s Temple, and take the people into captivity. Years later, the people returned from their captivity and rebuilt the temple. It was a pale comparison to the original, but it served God’s purpose as once again He met sinners in sacrifice. Then, in the year 20 B.C. King Herod began a new temple. It was an era of wealth and political patronage and this new temple reflected its time. The structure followed the same floor plan of the previous structures, but its outward appearance was a statement of the wealth of its builder. Towering 15 stories high and surrounded by rows of stone columns, this temple ranked as one of the wonders of the ancient world.
It was in this temple that the angel Gabriel announced the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah and told the elderly priest the Lord was coming. It was here that Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to present Him to the Lord, meeting Simeon who prophesized of the salvation this Child would bring and Anna who thanked God for His redemption. Jesus came to this temple when He was 12 years old to celebrate the Feast of Passover, that special time in the Hebrew year when they remembered how God had rescued Israel out of Egyptian slavery. They remembered how God had instructed them to slaughter a lamb and spread its blood over their front door. They remembered how God’s judgment upon the land had passed over them. John 2:13-22 tells us that it was again during the Passover when years later Jesus appeared at Herod’s Temple, yet what He saw there was not worship, but business. In courts designed for prayer that God might “hear and forgive,” there were moneychangers and animal sales. Rather than directing people’s attention to their sin and God’s forgiveness, these courts forced them to hold their noses and worry about how much money Passover would cost. The smell of so many animals crowded into one place and the bargaining over exchange rates made it clear the focus of the temple was not on meeting God, but on turning a dollar. Human nature had valued money over God and turned the temple into a store.
Jesus entered into this greedy mess and reclaimed His Father’s house for its intended purpose. He didn’t reclaim it as a reformer, a great man who would cause people to rethink how the temple should be used. Nor did He come there as a radical, who by drastic actions would shake up the normal order of things. He came as a replacement, One who by His Person and work was to make both the temple and the Passover obsolete by His fulfillment of their historic essence. As the replacement for the temple, this unique God-Man in His Person is THE meeting place between God and humanity. God has come to us in this final and complete way, as John
writes: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (1:14). All attempts to externalize and formalize God into a distant deity who can be approached only by human performance are circumvented by the Person of Jesus Christ. God has come to us, and in Jesus Christ He has delivered finally and fully what the Temple had stood for—the presence of God with us. This Jesus, working through His word and sacraments, continues to come to us by His Spirit. He is the sanctuary for sinners where God “hears and forgives.” As our Passover, Jesus’ sacrificial blood provides eternal protection from sin’s judgment. In this final sacrifice in the drama of Salvation History, the shedding of Jesus’ blood has released us from our bondage to sin, death, and the devil. John the Baptist spoke of this when he laid eyes on Jesus and exclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Jesus as the final Passover Lamb did not need to be pulled to the place of sacrifice with a halter rope or be bound to the altar, but He went to His own place of sacrifice, the cross, willingly. The judgment of God for our sin passed over us and fell squarely upon Him as He made our judgment His own and so set us free. In His sacrifice, this final Lamb did a work for us that is completely acceptable to the perfect holiness of God. In Christ, the sinner is made right with God. In Christ God is satisfied. How does God meet people? The Final answer to this question is Jesus. In Him, we receive forgiveness and sanctuary, and enjoy the Fatherhood of God. Jesus here is where God “hears and forgives” freely, fully, finally, and forever. Amen.
Brad Soenksen
i s the Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Studies at the Lutheran Brethren Semininary in Fergus Falls, MN.
He also serves as the pastor of the Stavanger Lutheran Church in rural Fergus Falls. 9
GOD as a deer
Enc
oun
Donnie owned a small trucking business, but after several years of success, he began to suffer serious financial problems. He frantically sought to reverse the situation, but matters only grew worse. He was used to having an occasional migraine headache, but now he suffered from constant pain in his head. Every morning he’d awake with a headache that would stay with him all day. His usual medication did nothing to alleviate the pain.
Worry, headaches, and desperation to save his business took a toll. Crisis hung over the landscape of his life like low, dark rain clouds bringing gloom and sadness. Finally, Donnie made an appointment with a doctor, hoping something could be done to stop his headaches. Jan, Donnie’s wife, was a woman of deep faith. She suffered right along with her husband, not only because she hated to see him hurting, but because their financial problems affected her as much as they did him. She sought the Lord and trusted in Him to come to their aid. On a Friday evening six days before Donnie’s appointment with the doctor, Jan decided to delve into the details of their financial situation. She gathered their business records together and went to her office to sift through them. Determined to stay until she’d completed her task, she turned the face of the clock toward the wall. When she finally finished, she was shocked to see that it was four-thirty in the morning! Exhausted, Jan went home to bed, and as she slept, she had a vivid dream. She was looking out a window, watching a deer that was being harassed by a fierce black dog. The evil canine had the tail of a fox, and the terrified deer was running in circles, trying hopelessly to escape. Jan knew it was only a matter of time before the dog would destroy its prey. In her dream, Jan ran outside in an attempt to save the frantic deer. She looked down and saw a hammer in her hand. Fearlessly approaching the black dog, she began hitting it with the hammer. With each stroke, the dog shrunk in size until finally it was small, white, and harmless—the size of a two-inch cube. The deer relaxed, and in relief and gratitude, came up to Jan and began to lick her cheeks. Its tongue was soft and warm on her face. 10
ters Psalm 42:1-3a, 5
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the Living God. Where can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night…Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him,my Savior and my God.
Donnie & Jan Bakken share this “God Encounter.” They attended Concordia Lutheran Church in Fertile, Minnesota at the time. Read more stories of God at work in the lives of everyday people in Miracles & Milestones. Available at: www.bible-aliveministries.com Have you experienced a God Encounter? Has God worked in some amazing way in your life to show you He cares for you? Share your story with us! Send to Connections, PO Box 372, Fergus Falls, MN 56538 or e-mail to: submissions@
bible-aliveministries.com
In the days following the dream, Jan became convinced this was a message from the Lord. She couldn’t get the images of the dog and the deer out of her mind. She knew the black dog represented evil and the deer represented good, but she couldn’t understand what the dream meant. She even asked her weekly prayer group what they thought but received no insight from them. A few days later, Donnie drove to a nearby town on a business trip. His headaches continued to plague him, and his appointment with the doctor was still days away. He had a choice of two routes to take and chose the one he used less frequently. As he sped through the rural area, Donnie spotted two animals in a field. Looking closer, he saw a black dog chasing a terrified deer. He stopped his vehicle, got out, and shouted in the direction of the animals. Both the deer and the dog stopped immediately and looked over at him. Then to his amazement, the scared deer ran toward Donnie, seeking refuge. It came right up to him! Meanwhile, the dog withdrew a little way but was obviously anxious to resume his chase at the first opportunity. Imagine Donnie’s astonishment when the deer began to lick his hand, again and again. A few minutes later, a farmer and his son chanced by. They stopped and cautiously approached when they saw Donnie with the deer. Instead of running away, the deer continued to stand beside Donnie. “What do you have there?” the farmer asked. “A pet deer?”
“No,” Donnie answered, “this deer came to me for help.” The man and his son came closer and slowly reached out their hands to pet her. Hearing about the deer’s problem, they agreed they’d take the animal back to their farm and give her shelter until the danger had passed. The deer even allowed them to pick her up and put her in the back of their truck, where she stayed. Donnie got back into his vehicle and started for his meeting. It wasn‘t until later that evening on his way home that he remembered Jan’s dream. What had happened that day was too bizarre to be coincidental. He knew instinctively the Lord was involved and trying to tell him something. Clearly, God had spoken to him through Jan’s dream and the subsequent rescue of the deer. As Donnie went back through the experience in his mind, he suddenly heard a still, small voice in his spirit say, “I want you to come to Me for help like the deer came to you.” In a moment, Donnie understood like never before that God was present in his life and able to care for him. As he drove on, his headache disappeared and was replaced with a profound peace such as he’d never before experienced. In the following days, Donnie’s migraines stayed away as he continued to trust that God was watching out for him. He cancelled his doctor appointment, and although his financial difficulties didn’t disappear overnight, his fear of facing them did. Whenever problems began chasing him, Donnie simply approached his Lord, knowing he could count on Him for rescue.
Coming Soon . . . Future issues of Connections frequently will
Coming in the May/June Connections:
have a theme. Upcoming themes include:
•
David Glesne: Myths of Homosexuality
•
Paul Cross: Sexuality from a Biblical
July/August: - The Word of God September/October — Evangelism November/December — Gratitude
Perspective •
Donald L. Raun: Missions in the Muslim/Christian nation of Chad
Occasionally we will include articles about
•
Larry Lindstrom: Puppet Ministry
relevant issues facing the church, such as
•
Julie Neils: Exodus Ministry
Sexuality/Homosexuality, Islam, etc.
•
Eric Holstrand: Book Review
11
be still, my soul‌
Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come Song of Solomon 2:12
lutheran renewal Lord, Revive Your Church Beginning With Me! by Morris Vaagenes
This petition has a long history. In an early form it read: Lord, revive thy church, beginning with me. In 1928 Cheng Ching-yi, a church leader in China, gave this slogan to the Chinese Forward Movement of Evangelism. In 1948 Sam Shoemaker, a pioneer in the church renewal movement and an Episcopal rector in New York City and Pittsburgh, wrote a book entitled, Revive Thy Church Beginning with Me.
and Chairman of the Urban Coalition, wrote, “Social renewal depends ultimately on individuals. . . The renewal of society and organizations can go forward only if someone cares.”2 The Lord spoke to Ezekiel: I sought for anyone among them who would repair the wall and stand in the breach before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one” Ezekiel 22:30
Shoemaker wrote: There are plenty of Christians on the rolls to change the face of the earth if they once got on fire about it. It is by no means impossible that a great awakening should take place in the churches, and spread to the nations and the world.1 In essence, the prayer for revival goes back to early Old Testament history. As witnesses to Israel’s spiritual and moral degeneration, they pled for God to intervene. O Lord, I have heard what you have done, and I am filled with awe. Now in this time of our deep need, renew the great deeds you did formerly. In your wrath remember mercy. Habakkuk 3:2
Am I willing to stand in the gap? Are you? Renewal begins with me, you, and all whose souls stir them. The Lord invites us to come before him in a right spirit to intercede in behalf of the church. Let us come before Him in repentance, brokenness and a right heart. Let us together invite the Spirit to breathe fresh life into us and into our churches. Will you unite with others in praying for spiritual awakening in our own lives, families, churches and nation? I invite you to respond to the Lutheran Awakening challenge on the next page.
David uttered a similar petition: Restore us again, O God our Savior, and put away your displeasure toward us. Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Psalm 85:4-6
Samuel M. Shoemaker, Revive Thy Church Beginning With Me (New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1948), p. 6. 2 John W. Gardner, Self-Renewal (New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1971), pp. xii, xiv. 1
Note these keys to revival: repentance, brokenness, a contrite and humble spirit. For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and with those who are of a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Isaiah 57:15 Reviving begins in individuals, in me and in you. John W. Gardner, former Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare 14
Morris Vaagenes pastored North Heights Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Minnesota for 38 years. He currently is president of Renewal International and dirctor of Lutheran Awakening.
Lutheran Awakening is a magazine and movement seeking to stir vision for spiritual awakening
in the Lutheran Church. We are committed to pray, speak and work for the reviving of the spiritual life of our constituents. As rejuvenated Christians, we seek to be our Lord’s ambassadors in sharing the Good News of new life in Christ with those who do not know Him as Lord and Savior and in serving the needs of suffering humanity. This is a critical time. Major battles are being waged on many fronts: the war in the heavens between God and the devil, the resulting spill-over on earth in the conflict between good and evil, the ideological and religious wars for world dominance, the culture wars for control of minds and conduct, and the battle for truth in society and church, as well as the battle within between the Spirit and our sinful nature. We are not only witnesses to these battles, but we are participants in them—whether we want to be engaged or not. We cannot remain neutral. There is no middle ground. The question for us, as it was for Old Testament Israel, is “Who is on the Lord’s side? Let them step forward” (Exodus 32:26). The Good News is that Jesus defeated the devil on the cross twenty centuries ago. The devil is a defeated foe. Jesus triumphed over all the powers of evil, and he is seated at the right hand of the Father, far above all rulers, authorities, powers and dominions. Our present spiritual position is that of union with Christ in this place of authority. Our task is to reclaim enemy-occupied territory for Christ’s kingdom—beginning with ourselves. This means a daily dying to the desires of our sinful nature. It involves rejecting values in the culture that are destructive. It entails putting on the life of Christ in all His righteousness, abiding in Christ and being filled with the Spirit. This enables us to stand against evil, and in contrast to produce the fruit of love, joy and peace in our lives. How critical it is for believers to stand against the forces of evil at work in the world? And how critical is it for us to proclaim the truth—and Him who is The Truth? This is truly a day of battle, but also of opportunity. Spiritual awakenings have often arisen during the most troubling of times. This is such a time. That is why there is an urgency to pray, speak and act now. Lutheran Awakening is not running from the battle, but seeks to enter into spiritual warfare in the name of Christ and with the spiritual weapons given us. These weapons include the amazing grace of God, the winsome power of Christ’s love, the truth of God’s Word, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Our spirit must be different than that of the world. We offer forgiveness to replace hate. We do deeds of mercy instead of acts of terrorism. Will you unite with us in interceding for the church and upholding the truth of Christ? I, Pastor Morris Vaagenes, invite you to partner in a Lutheran Awakening prayer network. And if you are seeking a deeper, more fulfilling spiritual life, write for a free copy of You Can Be A Winner. Let us join together in praying for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our churches.Our address is:
Lutheran Awakening
3490 Lexington Ave No Suite 340, Shoreview, MN 55126
missions Lutheran Vietnamese Ministries by Mark Vander Tuig
In January 2003, John Dovinh, Britt Adair and myself formed Lutheran Vietnamese Ministries (LVM), under the umbrella of Lutheran Church of the Cross in Altoona, Iowa. We send John to Viet Nam as often and for as long as we can to train the leaders of partner churches to carry out the Great Commission. Born and raised in Viet Nam, John emigrated to the U.S. after the Viet Nam war. Christians were persecuted, imprisoned and tortured because of their faith by a government that was (and still is) opposed to all religion. As a leader in the Christian church, John was a target. He left to save his life and continue his ministry. As LVM’s missionary, John oversees 14 house churches in Central Vietnam in the Da Nang area and 11 house churches farther south, near Saigon (called Ho Chi Minh City on the map). At least twice a week, 15-30 John people gather in homes or hotels to study the Word of God, to pray and to worship. A pastor/leader who has been identified by the people and by the Holy Spirit, and trained by John (or someone John trained) leads each house church. These leaders then equip and train others.
House church leaders in Central Highlands 16
The church in Viet Nam is growing because every believer has a desire for others to know Christ. In Viet Nam, the church is not a building, but the believers themselves. House churches provide children’s programs, women’s conferences, men’s conferences and leadership training. They also help those who have been displaced by weather, orphaned by absent parents, or abandoned to the streets of major cities. Our churches in Viet Nam regularly and faithfully support orphanages and efforts to help the hungry and broken. They are generous, industrious and loving people. My call has always been to the local church, but the Lord made it very clear that I would be traveling to Viet Nam. I went for the first time in November 2006, Dovinh and returned again in November 2007. My commitment to the local church has not changed, but I am honored to be a part of this exciting missions outreach.
Banner at house church south of Da Nang Photos Courtesy of Mark Vander Tuig
Map Courtesy Library of Congress, Geography & Map Division
Bible Study training for leaders in Chu Lai pastors and leaders there. They have so much to do—most of our house church pastors spend 40-50 hours each week doing the work of an evangelist, going door to door, teaching Bible studies, leading worship services and training the people. The rest of the time they try to earn a very meager living in order to continue to spread the Gospel. Our vision for Viet Nam includes continuing our support for Pastor John Dovinh and the current pastors and leaders there. We also must raise up the next generation of leaders and train them systematically in the work of the church. Pastor John Dovinh is the key to both endeavors. We need to use a model that is easily reproduced, a model that remains focused on the continuing work of planting churches, raising up leaders, and keeping the movement going.
House church leaders in Da Nang House churches in Viet Nam voted to associate officially with LCMC and are now called Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ—Viet Nam (LCMC-V). These are brothers and sisters in Christ whose only desire is to serve the Lord. Today there is a new interest in joining with LCMC-V, especially in the south around Saigon. We met with seven pastors of house churches from the western border of Viet Nam, who, along with the pastor who led them to Christ, expressed a desire to be a part of LCMC-V. But we also need to do more to train the men and women who are leading churches in the Saigon area and in the central highlands near Da Nang. We now have 25 house churches, each one having between 30-50 people. When Pastor John Dovinh is in Viet Nam, he spends nearly every waking hour training, teaching, encouraging, correcting, and sometimes even rebuking the
Viet Nam is a nation of people who need to come to know Jesus—in Him they find One on whom they can depend and trust, One who gives Life now and forever. If you would like more information about LVM or the work of John Dovinh, please contact me through our website at www.LccAltoona.org or email me at LccMark@msn.com.
Mark Vander Tuig’s
ministry at the Lutheran Church of the Cross has three priorities: preaching/ administration, training/ equipping leaders, and planning. Mark and wife, Candice, live in Altoona, IA with their two daughters, Laura and Emily. 17
“Mount Carmel is our spiritual home on earth.”
“This family camp is unique in its
abundance of offerings to me, my wife and to our four children.
We love the family dining, campfires, worship, education, swimming, and the evening routine of canteen treats. My church members are growing to love it also. Contact me for more information on why we love to be at Mount Carmel.” Pastor John Bergson Lord of Life, LCMC Oconomowoc,WI
Need a study guide for a women’s Bible study group or for individual Bible study? Visit our online bookstore for details!
www.bible-ali vemi ni st ries.com
www.MountCarmelMinistries.com 1-800-793-4311
Exercising the Faith Deepening your Devotional Life
Johan Hinderlie
is the Executive Director of Mount Carmel Ministries, a family and adult renewal center in Alexandria, MN. He and his wife, Sonja, lead retreats to teach couples and singles how to reflect on God’s message and to respond with prayer.
Why is it that our devotional life with God is more about our clothes than anything else? I think it goes back to the wardrobe of Adam and Eve. When they got into trouble in the Garden, they were ashamed, and got the latest “fig leaves” to wear as a way to cover up what they had done. We do the same. Why? Like Adam, we are hiding and don’t want God to find us. We want to cover up what we have done—or failed to do. We want clothing to cover up those things in our lives for which we feel disappointment. We dress ourselves up in the kind of wardrobe that makes us feel insulated from any intrusive questions God may have for us. Isaiah once referred to these garments as “filthy rags” (64:6). We want to look good for God, to be acceptable in His presence, so we wear garments of our choosing instead of His. When God sought out Adam, remember how Adam reacted when God asked him, “Did you eat the fruit from the tree?”Adam tried using camouflage to distract God: “Don’t blame me. Blame yourself. If you really want to know, it is you who got me into this fix by creating that woman.” Nice outfit of self-righteousness, Adam! But this kind of pretense does not stop God. He is persistent and wants us to talk with Him face to face as Moses did. God wants to take the “dis” out of our disappointments in life, but this means He has to undress us so He can re-dress us in His image. He wants to “re-clothe us in our rightful mind.” In the garden God killed an animal and took its skin to re-clothe Adam and Eve. In our world, God killed His only Son to re-clothe us in His grace.
To become fit for the clothing God has prepared for us in Jesus means we need to spend time talking with Him. The more time we spend talking to God, the more He will show us what “clothing” needs to come off before we can put on what He provides. I start my daily conversation with God by giving thanks for His clothing choices. God shows me the outfit He has planned for the day, and I have learned to say, “Thank you, Lord, for my new clothes.” When I consider what I had been planning to wear, I have to tell my Heavenly Outfitter that I am sorry. I need to lay my choices down and take up what God has chosen. Next, I ask for help to get God’s fabric tailor-made for my life. This is where my daily talk with God gets very real, for now God shows me how the clothing He has chosen will serve a new purpose in the life He has created for me. How does this happen each day? I use four simple questions to let the Holy Spirit show me what He has planned for me. 1) “Lord, what picture of myself do you give me in the verse that makes me thankful?” 2) “In the Bible verse, what makes me sorry or regret my actions or choices?” 3) “How can you help me make the changes in my wardrobe that are needed, Lord?” 4) “Lord, what specifically do you want me to do today with these new ‘threads’?” Like the promise given in I Cor. 15:51, God wants to change us. We simply need to make ourselves available so that He can change us and dress us up in the way He wants, taking off the old clothing and putting on the new. Over time, we change and grow in Christ. Use Daily Texts to help you with this process of listening to God’s voice about the clothing He wants you to wear each day. Translated into 50 languages, Daily Texts is the most widely used devotional in the world. The pictured version includes helps for hearing God’s voice. To order your copy, email us at info@MountCarmelMinistries.com or phone us at 1-800-793-4311. 19
improving your serve
creative ideas for more effective ministry
Walk Across the Room by David Drum
David Drum has pastored Community of Hope in Tucson, AZ since 1990. David and his wife, Valerie, have four children.
Pastor Bill Hybels wrote a book posing a simple question: “What if evangelism really was as simple as walking across a room?” The Willow Creek Association (www.willowcreek. com) produced supporting resources for Hybel’s helpful book, packaged into a 4-week experience for the whole congregation.
committed to study the book simultaneously. A very helpful resource is a 15-minute video led by Hybels himself that tells a real life story, helping the ideas he presents take root at very personal levels. The series content isn’t rocket science, but it’s well-done and very helpful. It starts with the motivation for sharing the faith, and infuses courage for stepping out of your “circles of comfort” and entering the “zone of the unknown” at the prompting of the Holy Spirit. It provides practical lessons for discovering another person’s story and discerning the appropriate next steps to take. It offers very practical helps for how to tell God’s story in a way that intersects with our own stories, while honoring the listener. It was a rare week this past year when I didn’t hear or experience firsthand a “walk across the room” testimony. The series helped prepare our congregation for its largest “walk across the globe” to date―sending 9 people to Tanzania for 18 days. And Tanzania is now leading us back to Tucson, discerning needs with a new passion right here within our own community. Way to go, Bill Hybels!
Community of Hope engaged in this experience in January and February 2007. We are still reaping the rewards. “Walk Across the Room” has become part of the congregational vocabulary, and has reenergized our outward focus. In August 2006 I asked, “With a show of hands, how many of you believe you know the primary purpose of the church, and could put it into a few words?” About 10% of the congregation raised their hands. Not long ago, I would have argued that there is no one primary purpose to the church. But while there are many things the church is called to be and do, I’m convinced its primary purpose can be put into one word—“Go”—with the rest of the sentence being, “Go make disciples.” I confessed that our confusion about our purpose was a direct reflection on leadership, and vowed to make some changes. We worked hard at clarity, and within a few months a strong majority were in agreement about our primary call to “go,” as opposed to merely being welcoming of those who accidentally wandered through our doors. But the clarity was skin deep. It’s one thing to be able to answer a question correctly, and quite another to have the walk match the talk. That’s where Hybels’ passion comes in. Walk Across the Room helped us take the next step in becoming more outwardfocused. The Willow package takes each unit of Hybel’s book and makes it the focus for the week. The package includes fully developed sermon outlines, PowerPoint slides, bulletin inserts, posters and video clips. Each of our small groups 20
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Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith by Rob Bell
Have you ever seen one of those velvet Elvis pictures? What if the creator of this work of art felt it was so good that no future works of art were necessary? His was the ultimate expression of what all art could be—thus rendering all new efforts a waste of time. Sound ridiculous? Maybe so, but what if this was done in the spiritual world, and God forbid, even the Christian world? Did the prime movers in past Christian history (Martin Luther is specifically mentioned) intend for their version of the faith to be the final expression? And even if so—is this what God intends? This is the opening salvo of Rob Bell’s refreshing and challenging book, Velvet Elvis. As founding pastor of Mars Hill church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the young Bell is everything his church is: basic, stripped down, raw and honest but not offensive, focused on tangible service. Indeed, Rob Bell is the poster child for the post-modern Christian movement come of age. Characterized by twenty- and thirty-something believers who point to the senior high mission trip—rather than the eighth-grade confirmation service—as their formative spiritual moment growing up, this movement of believers yearns for faith to go beyond the recitation of creeds and confessions into the nitty-gritty of everyday life. You need not agree with everything that Rob Bell asserts in this book to grow from it. Don’t get me wrong—there is much to agree with. But also don’t mistake this book as a “high Lutheran” work of literature. It may be that Velvet Elvis should come with the disclaimer “Grow at Your Own Risk!”
ndy a r R nds: o t Pas mme o Rec
Soul Survivor by Phillip Yancey
book review Guest Reviewer: Pastor Randy Upgren
Bell’s subtitle, Repainting the Christian Faith, is an apt description of this potent little book’s contents. Inside he explores anew vital questions Christians often take for granted or are afraid to dip their toes into: • What does it mean to really be a Christian? • What if the point of faith isn’t to go to heaven? • What is the relationship between Scripture and the Church through which it came? (WARNING: This may be challenging to Sola Scriptura disciples) • How do I get off the spiritual treadmill? • How can we embrace truth wherever we find it and not be defensive? Pastor Bell embodies the rare combination found in all great teachers: he is easy to understand and yet profound. He is a master at pointing out the obvious that escapes our own sight. Did I mention he is pretty funny and entertaining too? A quick perusal through his footnotes reveals his sense of balance as he calls upon conservative and liberal sources alike in his pursuit of the faith. Ultimately “Velvet Elvis” cannot be categorized as standard Lutheran fare. It is, however, an amazingly winsome and thought-provoking read. In short, if you really want to grow in your faith, it is time well spent.
Randy Upgren is Pastor of Discipleship at Charity Lutheran Church in Bismarck, ND. A veteran of over 50 mission trips, Randy is passionate about empowering church people. He and wife, Pam, have two sons, Josh and Jordan.
The Gospel of the Kingdom by George Eldon Ladd
Look for these great books at your favorite bookstore!
Blue Like Jazz by
Donald Miller
21
update Bill Sullivan
an LCMC pastor, has served as LCMC‘s Service Coordinator at its home office in Canton, Michigan, since 2002. He and his wife, Marsha, have two grown daughters..
LCMC—The Association Turns Seven Just after noon on Tuesday, March 27, 2001, in Phoenix, Arizona, Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) was born with 25 charter member congregations representing 13 states in the USA. After seven years, LCMC now has 212 congregations—152 in the USA and another 60 in six other countries around the world. To learn more about LCMC, please visit our website at www.lcmc.net. There you will find much helpful information, including details about how to order a soon-to-be-released DVD about LCMC.
LCMC is an association of congregations and individuals who are: • • • •
Free in Christ Accountable to one another Rooted in the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions Working together to fulfill Christ’s Great Commission to go and make disciples of all nations.
LCMC intentionally calls itself an association of congregations rather than a denomination—primarily since it has a very flat organizational structure and has returned the rights and responsibilities of being the church to the local congregation. Each member congregation of LCMC is represented by delegates to the Annual Gathering, where the business of the association is conducted. The Annual Gathering is primarily a time of worship, fellowship, education and networking. The 2008 Annual Gathering will take place from Sunday, September 28th through Wednesday, October 1st at Faith Lutheran Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
happenings Coming Soon. . . • April 27 - 29, 2008 Trinity Lutheran Church of Minnehaha Falls, Minneapolis, MN
September 28–October 1, 2008 Faith Lutheran Church Albuquerque, New Mexico For more information, call
505.296.0762 22
• Contains an overview of who we are, along with a presentation by Bill Sullivan and a candid discussion among several LCMC pastors.
update The WordAlone Network is more than 230 churches and 6,000 individuals (including more than 1,000 pastors) in all synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America who are committed to submitting to the authority of God’s Word revealed in Jesus the Christ and the Bible. WordAlone’s goals are to: • •
•
Reflect more deeply upon our Lutheran biblical and confessional foundations in ways that engage all ELCA members in lifelong teaching and learning. Reform and restructure the ELCA so there is representative governance throughout the church with effective checks and balances, and so the freedom to install pastors as bishops and pastors to ordain ministers is restored and a mandatory historic episcopate is made optional. Renew the ELCA so that its ministry is grounded in God’s Word and truly centered on making disciples for Jesus Christ.
WordAlone believes that the primary crisis in the ELCA centers on the authority of God’s Word because it is supplanted by other authorities. For example, the Bible clearly proscribes sexual relationships outside the marriage
of one man and one woman. Yet, on the basis of human reason and personal experience, many ELCA leaders advocate for sexual relationships outside marriage. Other issues with which the ELCA has struggled—ecumenical agreements, social statements, a decline in global missions, a decline in membership and other matters—are further symptoms of the crisis. WordAlone members seek to change the ELCA in constructive ways that hopefully will help reverse the decline of the ELCA.
Mark Chavez
an ELCA pastor, has been Director of the WordAlone Network since 2000. He served churches in Maryland and Pennsylvania before taking his present call. He and his wife, Jocelyn, have six children.
happenings 2299 Palmer Drive, Suite 220 New Brighton, MN 55112-2202 Tel: 651-633-6004
Toll Free: 888-551-7254
Fax: 651-633-4260 E-Mail: wa.mnoffice@popp.net Website: www.wordalone.org
WordAlone Network’s Annual Convention Defending the Faith
April13-14
Calvary Lutheran Church in Golden Valley, Minnesota Keynote presenters: Dr. James Kallas and Pastor Gary Jepsen
23
at home with linda Spot’s Story by Linda Lein The morning started like most. My husband Keith made breakfast for our boys while I got dressed. When he left to do farm chores, I asked him to move the car so I could give the garage one last cleaning before setting up for a garage sale. He willingly took on the task.
“Kris, Mommy and Daddy can’t make Spot better,” I answered. “Only Jesus can do that. He can make her well, so that she can live on our farm and play with you and Matthew, or He can take her home to Heaven. Let’s pray for Spot.” “Okay,” he said. And we did.
Before long I realized something wasn’t right. I opened the door leading to the garage. Keith wasn’t anywhere in sight. The car was running in the driveway. It wasn’t like Keith to disappear. Something was definitely wrong.
A couple hours later, I brought Mittens, Spot’s mother, to her injured baby. When Mittens wouldn’t stay in the box so Spot could nurse, I moved Spot to the garage in a cardboard box where she could be with her other siblings and mother.
I immediately thought of Mitten’s kittens. Three of the four came running when I called: Puff, Squawk, and Blue. No Spot.
That night Keith checked on Spot before he went to bed. She was stiffening up. He feared the worst. His words to me were, “Spot’s not going to make it.”
Keith heard my kitten call. He opened the back door of the garage so I could see him standing on the back steps with Spot cradled in his hands. Blood dripped from her tiny nose. She’d been hit by one of the car tires or a fan belt or something. I pleaded with Keith to put her out of her misery.
“Oh, she just has to,” I said. “Kristofer and I prayed for her.”
“No, she’s not crying anymore so she must not be in pain. Let’s wait and see.”
I said another prayer for Spot. “Lord, please help Spot heal, so Kristofer will know you hear his prayers.”
Our oldest son, Kristofer, and I made a bed for Spot. She lay perfectly still except for the movement of her little chest as she breathed. She couldn’t sit up, stand, or walk. Her rear right leg appeared injured but not broken. I placed a bowl of milk and a bowl of moist cat food in the box right next to her, but she wasn’t interested in eating.
I stayed up an hour past the time Keith and I had talked about Spot’s condition. Just before I went to bed, I checked on Spot again.
Linda Frances Lein lives in west central Minnesota with her husband, Keith, and their two sons Kristofer and Matthew. She has written 3 books: Mother to Mother, Country Reflections, and Hannah Kempfer An Immigrant Girl. 24
Kristofer and I checked on her often. We kept her company and carefully petted her. “Is Spot going to be all right, Mommy?” he asked in his four-year-old voice.
“I think she’s going to be dead before morning,” he insisted gently.
There she was. Sitting up, tilting her head just so, and looking at me with the look of wonderment that could have meant, “Do you have any milk for me?” I petted her and set out a dish of milk. “You’re going to be all right, Spot.” The next day Spot was running in the garage and climbing trees, trying desperately to keep up with Puff, Squawk, and Blue. Kristofer smiled and giggled with happiness because his kitten Spot was all right. Jesus had made her well.
Women’s Bible Studies
P.O Box 372 Fergus Falls, MN 56538 218.731.0662 biblealiveministries@yahoo.com
ConďŹ rmation Materials Spiritual Development Resources Connections Magazine Seminars
Bible Alive Ministries exists to encourage spiritual renewal & development among Lutheran congregations & individuals by offering original seminars & workshops, as well as inspirational and educational resources.
www.bible-aliveministries.com
L e t ’s C o n n e c t !
Are you a writer with something to say about your faith? Do you have a stunning photo for the front cover or Be Still My Soul? Do you have a great idea for an article for one of our Features or Columns? Do you know of a vibrant or creative ministry that we should recognize?
We’re always looking for great people and great ideas, and we’d love to hear from you. Submit an article, idea, or photo: • Visit www.bible-aliveministries.com/magazine.htm, click Submit Article or Photo, and read our guidelines. • Send to submissions@bible-aliveministries.com or mail to the address below. Advertise your event, ministry or service: • Visit www.bible-aliveministries.com/adrates.htm for rates. • For more information, contact Kent at 480.292.9650 or kentgroethe@gmail.com See a sample issue at www.bible-aliveministries.com/pdf/sample.pdf
Connections Magazine Bible Alive Ministries PO Box 372 Fergus Falls, MN 56538